Message from Our Chairman

Honest and ongoing self-assessment is essential to maintaining the prosperous, healthy and livable “complete county” our residents and investors called for in 2010-2011 when they defined our Countywide Vision. This report marks the tenth year that the annual San Bernardino County Community Indicators Report has provided us with that vital and necessary “look in the mirror”.

Since the first edition was published in 2010, this report has taken an objective look at our expansive and diverse county, specifically our economy, our schools, our health, public safety, and the environment. These are the interrelated and interdependent community elements upon which our Vision is based. We understand that a successful community is not possible unless all of these elements are performing well and the people behind them are working collaboratively and collectively to improve the quality of life in our great county.

When that first report was issued, our County and the nation were in the throes of the Great Recession. In the face of record unemployment, jobs were the community’s top concern. In its initial years, the Community Indicators Report chronicled our community’s real estate foreclosure crisis, sharp increases in welfare rates, and education achievement rates in great need of improvement. Thanks to the economic recovery, and most certainly the efforts of San Bernardino County community leaders armed with the data contained in this report, we went on to record growth in employment, reductions in foreclosures, and notable increases in educational attainment.

The purpose of the report, and the interactive digital version at https://indicators.sbcounty.gov, is to measure our performance and detect trends so that the community can assess and refine its efforts toward achieving the Vision.

The goal of this report is to inspire government leaders, business people, community- and faith-based organizations, and others to come together and discuss strategies that are succeeding so we may work together to bring those efforts to scale to serve our entire county.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors appreciates your interest and involvement, and we encourage you to use the information contained in this report to help us achieve our shared Countywide Vision.

Sincerely,

Curt Hagman Chairman, Board of SupervisorsSan Bernardino County of San Bernardino